1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a combination of a vehicle and a demountable body for the transportation of loads from place to place, the vehicle being provided with a support for the body and means for mounting the body thereon and for demounting the body therefrom. The invention also relates to a vehicle and to a demountable body for use in such a combination.
The invention is primarily applicable to a vehicle/demountable body combination of the type in which the support is mounted on the vehicle for tilting movement between a horizontal or substantially horizontal position to support the body on the vehicle for transportation, and an inclined position in which the mounting and demounting means are capable, on loading of the vehicle, of lifting the body from, for example the ground on to the lower end of the inclined support and drawing it upwardly along the latter into its transportation position, and on unloading of the vehicle, of moving the body, or controlling its movement under gravity, downwardly along the inclined support, off the latter and on to, for example, the ground.
In a combination of this type the mounting and demounting means of the vehicle may be required to transfer the body not only between the vehicle and the ground or other supporting surface below the support, but also between the vehicle and a trailer or other supporting surface at the same or substantially the same height as the support, the support being maintained horizontal or at a suitable inclination for this purpose and the said means being operable, on loading of the vehicle, to pull the body in a horizontal or substantially horizontal direction on to the support and, on unloading, to push the body off the support.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Known vehicle/demountable body combinations have various forms of mounting and demounting means, for example winches and endless chains with means for attachment to a demountable body, but these have various drawbacks and in particular are complicated in construction.